"Pumpkin picking" WTF

Couple years ago we went to one, some still had the sticker on £1.50.....on weigh in they wanted £25....and people were paying!!

Because

a) they don't do it themselves and it's not enough for it merely not to be their thing, it must also be a sign of their moral and overall superiority

b) it's become a bit more popular in recent years (it isn't a new thing) and they must hasten to distance themselves from anything popular because otherwise they won't be above the masses.

I'm surprised nobody's claimed it's so terribly working class yet but I'm sure they will soon.

Why is people talking their kids run about in a field and choose pumpkins any better/worse than taking them to run about at, eg, castle ruins or a beach or the park? It gets them outdoors, and it's a once-a-year thing so it feels like an exciting novelty for them, and they get to carve a pumpkin afterwards. It's not really a big deal, is it? I don't have kids but to me, this just seems like a day out where they get some fresh air and then come home with a pumpkin, rather than a bit of plastic tat from a gift shop. Sounds fine.

Also, sounds like a really good way for farmers to diversify and bring in some much needed extra income.

That sounds brilliant!

Oh hey I think I know the one you mean!

All for the photos for social media!

I agree, what a horrid post. Might be best not to insult your parents customer base when you've posted on here where you are from.

We took the Gdcs to a pumpkin-pick in a huge field, but they had obviously grown there. Much more expensive than buying a couple in Asda, but there were loads of Halloween decorations and other activities, and the Gdcs thoroughly enjoyed it, so it was worth it.

It’s so much fun and where we go yij can go in the evening and it has a spooky glow up trail with skeletons and lazers, a ferris wheel. It’s a whole thing. I’ve taken my now 16 year old for a few years and we both love it. I don’t mind paying I bit extra for making this season a little less grey and rainy.

I've nothing against the activity if people want to do it. But there does seem to be an epidemic of poorly thought-through traffic management associated with it. I ended up stuck in gridlocked traffic for 45 minutes due to one of these near me. IMO local authorities should be given the power to shut this kind of thing down if it causes problems on that scale. Many of those stuck will have been trying to make a journey for a more important purpose (e.g., just about anything!).

I think it's a bit like PYO christmas tree. The ones I've seen have never been on an actual tree farm. The trees are cut. They prop them up in a field. You wander around and 'pick' your tree and someone comes to bag it up and shove it on your car. Costs like £50 more per tree than going to the garden centre, but you get an experience. There's hot chocolate for sale and a Santa's grotto. I'm cheap, and I can grow things myself, so it's not for me, but the PYO farm near us is always massively busy no matter what season and what they have for picking (currently, it's pumpkins).

That said, we grow our own pumpkin patch and go pumpkin picking every year and the kids love it. I have a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins still even after all the carving and all the pumpkin soup.

Really? You can't believe that people enjoy a day out just for the fun of it?

How sad.

I totally agree!

I do take photos but I never post them anywhere and am not active on those types of SM platforms.

I do love seeing the memories of previous years come up on my Google Photos, though. Surprisingly to some, memories of happy times are beautiful things.

I've got a couple from aldi but I don't see any harm in a farm visit with snacks etc proba good for the kids to see where things grow ?

I feel sorry for some people’s kids 😂 take them pumpkin picking ffs, have a proper day out for once! Rather than taking them to the supermarket (that they probably go to every week) to pick a pumpkin off a shelf 🙄 they won’t be kids forever you know!

@RedToothBrush lazy people spend a few hours walking round farms and pushing wheelbarrows and non-lazy people go to Aldi? Am I reading you right?

cadburyegg

There's a range of places in my area ranging from the low key to the family photoshoot venue. As soon as someone says they're going to family photoshoot PYO I know by 7pm they'll have photos on socials at the same photo spots that everyone else did last weekend. Bonus for having coordinated outfits or autumnal themed outfits.

It doesn't seem like a very cheap couple of hours by the time you've paid to go in, then paid for your stuff, then paid to have whatever artisan thing is being sold at the food trucks/cafes at a huge mark up.

It's a genius business model and not my cup of tea, but it's a nice day out for families so offline I keep my opinions of that venue to myself.

It’s another money making fad I guess. The only ‘pumpkin picking’ I do is pick one from Waitrose.

Do you begrudge your parents making a living @Rossannah ? An odd and oddly spiteful thing to call their customers "mugs".

Well, quite. It’s such a shitty way to talk about their customers! God forbid anyone just have a bit of fun for the sake of a few quid and support local businesses in the process 🤣

I am honoured!

As fun as it may be, fuck me, it's a lazy person thing.

I'd rather people bought them at Aldi!

The number of people congratulating themselves for their cleverness in noticing that the price is more than the cost of a pumpkin, who can't grasp that you're paying for the pumpkin plus an activity.

If it's not your thing, don't do it. Is this the new Christmas Eve box on here? Some absolutely harmless thing enjoyed by some families that has become the root of all evil for anyone who doesn't fancy it?

Crikey there's some miserable people around.

We went to one after school on Friday night, DS5 and DD2. It was on a proper farm so pumpkins home grown but obviously cut for safety. They spent ages selecting a pumpkin each - we paid £5 entry and then because their pumpkins weren't huge they just waved us through at the till. We had tea there (hot sandwiches, chips, drink and cake) then there were some fairground rides and they chose one ride each. DS declared it the best day of his life!! 🤣🤣 It was a lovely couple of hours activity.

The fun sponges are out in force on this thread. So glad most posters understand childhood, economics and how to have a good time.

Who are the mugs exactly?

Punters who want to enjoy and support your parents business?